Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



G E. SNEIDER.- Breech-Loading Fife-Arm. No. 39,707: Patented Aug 25,1863.

llh I m\/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

O. E. SNEIDER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND THOMASPOULTNFY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BR EECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,707, dated August25, 1863.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. E. SNEIDER, of the city and county of Baltimore,in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my invention with the barrel inposition for being discharged, a portion of the stock and frame beingremoved to show more clearly the working parts. Fig. 2 represents asimilar View of the invention with the barrel in position for loading atthe breech.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothfigures of the drawings.

The object of my invention is to convert an ordinary musket or othermuzzle-loading gun into a breeclrloading arm; and to this end itconsists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby themovement of a lever in one direction is made to force the stock awayfrom the barrel at the butt-end, and allow the hinged cap to drop orswing into such a position as to admit of the charge being introducedinto the gun at the breech; and the movement of this lever in theopposite direction is made to draw the stock and barrel together andfirmly lock or secure them against casual movement independent of eachother while the piece is being discharged, all as will be hereinafterfully explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tofully understand the same, I will proceed to describe its constructionand operation.

A represents an ordinary musket-barrel, provided at its rear end with ahinged cap, a, which has a shallow circular recess formed on the insideto correspond with the bore of the gun. The barrel, previous to the capbeing attached to it, is out off, so as to have the bore extend entirelythrough it. Attached to the under side of the barrel by screws orotherwise is a plate, b, from which depend three lugs, 0 (Z c, thepurpose of which will be presently explained.

O is the stock of the gun, provided in front with an elongation, D,which extends along the under side of the barrel to the attachment ofthe same to the stock, 'and covers a metallic frame, F, between ears,terminating the front eccentric or cam, h, which, as the lever isdropped down, acts upon a projection or pin,

t, and forces the stock away from the barrel.

The lever F plays in a mortise in the elongation of the stock and frame,and it is flush with the former on the outside when turned up into theposition shown in Fig. 1or, in other words, when the barrel is inposition for being discharged. The lug e on its rear bottom edgeterminates in a projection, j, forming what may be termed a hook-shapedlug, the hook of which, as the barrel and stock are drawn together, isforced under a shoulder, 75, of the frame by a longitudinally-slidingmovement of the barrel. This movement is imparted to the barrel when itis in line with the breech-piece by the inclined side of a notch orrecess, m, (shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2,) acting upon theprojection or pin a,

and the wedge H acting against the back side of the lug c as the leveris moved upward or closed against the stock. The inclined side of therecess or moves the barrel only just a sufficient distance backward toenter the wedge H between the frame and lug a, when it (the wedge)completes the movement, and forces the barrel with its cap against thebreechpiece I with such a degree of pressure as to make'a tight jointbetween the barrel and its hinged cap. The breech-piece I is a part ofthe frame and carries the nipple. v The hook of the'lug 6, when thelever F is turned up against the breech or occupying the position shownin Fig. 1, catches under the shoulder 76 of the frame, and thus preventsthe possibility of any move nent of the barrel and breech independent ofeach other. The wedge H has a screw-threaded shank at its lower end,whereby it is secured to the lever. The lever at its rear end is bent,and forms a guard for the trigger. Should the joint between the barreland stock get a little play, one turn of the wedge-shaped pin will bringit farther out, rel by a lug, d, and pin 9, in combination with andconsequently draw the barrel and stock the pin i, when arranged tooperate in the closer together. manner specified.

Having thus described my invention, What 3. The Wedge H and hook-shapedlug e j, Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters in combinationwith the hinged cap a and Patent, is breech-piece I, when arrangedin themanner 1; The recess m in the lever F, and Wedge described. H attachedto the same in combination with the hook-shaped 111g 6 Ema shoulder h,when SNEIDER' arranged to operate in the manner specified. Witnesses:

2. The lever F, having an eccentric or cam J. D. MORITZ,

" hfo m d'ononeend; arid attached tothe'bar t" 0- B K a

